Pete Shepley, president and founder of Precision Shooting Equipment Inc., was one of four candidates elected to the 16-member ATA Board of Directors during its annual winter elections. Shepley returns to the Board after stepping down in 2006 after over a decade of service.

The election also returned Ben Summers of T.R.U. Ball Release Products to the Board for his second consecutive three-year term. Summers serves as T.R.U. Ball’s director of operations.

Shepley and Summers will be joined by two new directors: Mike Walston, chief operating officer of Lone Wolf Portable Treestands; and Gregory Jenkins, president and owner of Apple Archery Products LLC.

Stepping down from the board March 31 were Board Chair Peter Crawford, president and general manager of Elite Outdoors LLC; Richard Szekelyi, CEO and general manager of Horton Manufacturing Co. LLC; and Jeff Pease, national sales manager of Bear Archery.

The terms for the four new Board directors began April 1, 2009, and will end March 31, 2012.

Other candidates taking part in this year’s election were Mark Bernegger, founder of Southern Outdoor Technologies; and Keith Ainsley, owner and president of Doc’s Deer Farm & Scents.

Shepley said he ran for the Board because he cares about the ATA and its missions. “This is a tough industry right now, but we can grow our sports and our businesses,” he said. “I also think it’s important that when companies run for the Board they send their owners to occupy the seat. That’s part of the conservative approach that I'll bring to the Board.”

Summers wants to see the ATA continue building its programs. “I’m very proud of what the ATA has been doing in its work with wildlife agencies to expand community archery programs, build ranges and work with the National Archery in the Schools Program,” he said.

Jenkins agreed. “The ATA provides a lot more value-added benefits to archery programs than it sometimes gets credit for,” he said. “I want to be part of that, and I hope to better communicate ATA’s accomplishments to all of our members.”

Walston echoed those goals, and said he hopes to give treestand manufacturers more visibility on the Board. “I want to offer that perspective while demonstrating that we’re here to help all of our industry partners,” he said. “Everyone at Lone Wolf is excited by this opportunity to help grow our sports.”

The ATA Board was expected to elect its three-person Executive Committee in late March. Crawford served the past year as chair; vice-chairs were Greg Easton of Easton Technical Products Inc., and Paul Vaicunas of Parker Compound Bows.